Explosive armor

ABSTRACT

A plurality of freely tiltable, shaped explosive charge holding receptacles are positioned next to each other. Tilt causing strikers are positioned between adjacent charge receptacles. When a striker is depressed upon being struck by an incoming projectile, it tilts its receptacle toward the projectile and pushes that receptacle into the armor, causing detonation of the charge. In an alternate embodiment, the depressed striker acts on the charge detonator, rather than on the charge receptacle, to cause detonation. An automatic disarming apparatus for preventing explosion of neighboring charges is provided. Detonating devices for a set of neighboring shaped charges are mounted on a single support, which support is adapted to move all unactivated detonating devices away from their respective shaped charges upon the operation of a detonator mounted on the support, whereby other detonating devices would not be activated to explode their charges.

lnventor John R. Mani! l,603,097 l0/l926 Wright 89/36 418 Mllburn Ave, Mlllburn, NJ. 07041 3. 27. I 39 2/1969 Gregory 8 /36 A Appl. No. 889,549 r Filed Dec. Primary Examiner Reinaldo P Machado Patented July 13, [97] ABSTRACT: A plurality of freely liltable, shaped explosive charge holding receptacles are positioned next to each other. Tilt causing strikers are positioned between adjacent charge receptacles. When a striker is depressed upon b an incoming projectile, it tilts its rece tile and pushes that receptacle into United States Patent wwmwew kqo m c am n m Pd ,3 e s g hw n S n .l h ma m lion of the charge. in an alternate embodiment striker acts on the charge detonator, rather tha receptacle to cause detonation An automatic disarmin paratus for preventing explosion of ne w mm S' m mm m R H ow um RI Amm Maw w 3 "NU u M U n.

ighboring charges is f neighboring shaped pport, which support is nating devices away from ges upon the operation of a whereby other detonating plode their charges.

F4ll| 5/06 109/73. 1 5, provided. Detonating devices for a set 0 l02/52l2/2-5i89/36 charges are mounted on a single su adapted to move all unactivated deto their respective shaped char detonator mounted on the support, 109/37 devices would not be activated to ex a (,GZ t'ik (r r )t I W ,7 w f m 17 \Y.)

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[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l,326,058 l2/l9l9 1) (1 V a, av a a a a v4 #4 a and wnvarvw vr r 444/1; 44

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PATENTEU JUL 1 3 1971 SHEEI 1 OF 4 & m w w ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUL 1 3 I971 SHEU 3 BF 4 (84/6/6444 Gel )4? ATTORNEYS EXPLOSIVE ARMOR This invention relates to explosive armor for use in repelling incoming projectiles.

The armor includes a plurality of small, adjacently positioned, shaped, high explosive charges which, in response to the force of an incoming projectile, explode and thereby repel the projectile. Each charge is individually oriented so that its potential explosive force is normally directed forward and generally at right angles to the front wall of the armor. The front wall of the armor is readily pierced by the projectile.

Each high explosive charge is retained in a separate freely tiltable receptacle which may tilt about any axis. Encircling the periphery of each charge receptacle and positioned between adjacent receptacles are a number of elements, referred to herein as strikers, which serve to hold each receptacle in its proper orientation. When an incoming projectile engages one of the strikers, the striker is depressed into the armor, engages the shaped charge receptacle(s) to which it is adjacent and which it is intended to engage, and causes that receptacle to tilt in a direction so that the explosive force of the charge, when detonated, will be directed toward the incoming projectile to repel same away from the armor.

The descending striker not only tilts its respective charge holding receptacle, but also depresses this receptacle into the armor. Beneath each receptacle in the armor is positioned a respective detonator, which is normally in a position where it will not detonate the charge in the receptacle. However, when the receptacle is depressed, its respective detonator is engaged and activated to cause the shaped charge in the receptacle to explode, thereby repelling the projectile.

In an alternate embodiment, the descending strikers engage the detonator to cause detonation, While receptacle tilting oc curs, it is not the receptacle depression that causes detonation, but only the striker descending.

The explosive charge holding receptacles and the strikers therefor are so positioned that normally an incoming projectile will engage strikers for more than one receptacle and will thereby cause tilting and detonation of more than one explosive charge to repel the projectile.

The armor just described is effective against projectiles striking it at all angles of incidence where the object wearing the armor might suffer harm and is effective against projectiles which strike the armor at a speed sufficient to do harm to the wearer ofthe armor.

The explosive armor may include means for disarming and preventing explosion of all other shaped charges when any of the charges is exploded by an incoming projectile. All detona' tors for a predetermined group of neighboring explosive charges are mounted on a separate support which is normally biased into a position where each detonator is available to be engaged by its respective charge containing receptacle when the receptacle is tilted and depressed by its striker. The com bination ofthe recoil from the activation ofthe charge detonators which are activated, and of the recoil and inward thrust of the detonated explosive charges, is directed against the aforementioned detonator support, and drives this support and all detonators mounted thereon away from the explosive charge holding receptacles. This prevents detonation of any of the other neighboring explosive charges.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide effective explosive armor for repelling dangerous projectiles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such explosive armor which uses a plurality of small, separate, shaped. high explosive charges for repelling projectiles.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disarming mechanism for temporarily disarming those explosive charges which are not immediately required for repelling a particular projectile, while those which are immediately required are permitted to be detonated.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, elevation view, in cross section of a sec tion of explosive armor designed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, in the direction of arrows 2 along line 22 in FIG. 1, showing the front of a section of explosivc armor;

H6. 3 illustrates the condition of the armor shown in FIG. I shortly after it has been pierced by an incoming projectile;

FIG. 4 illustrates the condition of the armor in FIG. 3 immediately after the projectile has pierced far enough into the armor to cause some explosive charges in the armor to detonate;

H0. 5 is an exploded perspective view of one explosive charge and of the means for containing and detonating same;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view along the line 66 and in the direction of arrows 6 in FIG. 5, showing the guide keyways for the strikers ofthe invention;

FIG. 7 shows an alternate form of detonator for the main explosive charges; and

FIG. 8 shows an alternate manner for fabricating the charge holding receptacle tilting strikers for ready assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 1,2, 5 and 6, an individual one ofthe explosive charges and means for detonating and supporting it are now described, it being understood that all the charges, their detonating and supporting means are substantially identical. Receptacle 10 holds a conventional, shaped, high explosive charge which, upon being detonated, is positioned to direct its explosive force out of end 12 of receptacle ]0. The exterior of receptacle [0 is substantially spherically shaped, which permits receptacle ]0 to tilt in any direction under the influence of strikers 26, 28, 30, as described below.

Alternatively, receptacle 10 may be ovoid in shape, being somewhat flattened on its bottom so that when the receptacle is tilted by the strikers described below, the receptacle will apply a downward force to speed detonation, as described below.

A substantial portion of the bottom of receptacle [0 is provided with perforations 14 which allow the entrance of explosive gases produced by triggering of detonator 78, described below, so that these gases might contact the high explosive charge held within receptacle 10. Alternatively, if the forces produced by the detonator are sufficient, e.g., the detonator described below in conjunction with FIG. 7, the bottom of receptacle 10 need include no perforations because explosion by the detonator would be sufficient to break through the bottom of the charge holding receptacle to set oh the main charge.

Over each receptacle is a thin cover which protects each charge 12 from the effects and debris of an explosion in a neighboring receptacle 10. Cover [70 provides a roof or bridge into which a projectile that strikes a receptacle directly, as considered further below, might press. The thin cover disintegrates readily upon explosion of a charge and does not interfere with charge operation.

Also, above cover 170 might be positioned a cap 17 of flexible foam material, which, like cover 170, readily disintegrates upon explosion and which absorbs insignificant movements of the strikers 26, 28, 30, to be described, without substantially affecting the receptacles themselves.

Support 18 sits on a resilient cushion 20 which normally forces the support upward, thereby holding it in engagement with the bottom of receptacle l0. Resilient support 20, in turn, is seated on fixed shelf 22 which is supported by the nonmovable interior framework of the armor.

As shown in FIG. 2, each receptacle I0 is surrounded by eight individually movable strikers 26, 28 or 30.

FIG. 5 shows the various strikers in greater detail. There are four strikers 26, with each, as shown in FIG. 2, being at the corner of a square which is formed about the circular periphery of each receptacle [0. The curved and rounded overhang 32 of striker 26 hangs over the upper side of receptacle l0 and contacts the side of the receptacle in a manner such that when striker 26 is depressed, it depresses the edge of the receptacle 10 with which it is in contact. Striker 26 has a shelf 33 beneath overhang 32. In the event that the striker fails to remain in contact with its receptacle or fails to depress the receptacle, shelf 33 is depressed into contact with receptacle support l8, causing depression of the support, and thereby charge detonation, in a manner described further below. in an alternate embodiment of the invention, it is intended that only the engagement between shelf 33 and support 18 will be the cause of detonation and that tilting of the receptacle 10, which is the manner in which detonation occurs in the primary embodiment, will have no effect on detonation.

Each striker 28 is between neighboring strikers 26 and includes its own overhanging, curved, rounded portion 34, which engages receptacle l and operates in the same manner as the curved portion 32 of striker 26, and its own shelf 35, equivalent to shelf 33. Striker 28 has two outwardly extending guide fins 38 and 40 which position and guide the two adjacent strikers 26 and lock these strikers so that they move only within keyways 52, described below. Back surface 42 of striker 26 rests against front surface 44 of fin 38, and the side surface 46 of striker 26 rests against cooperating surface 48 on striker 2.87

On fins 38 and 40 are positioned raised friction-free bars 50 which reduce friction when strikers 26 move with respect to striker 28. Bars 50 also create a venting path to the interior of the armor.

Beneath striker 28 is a brittle, obliquely extending support "I which rests on the floor of guide keyway 52, described below, and thereby defines the initial upper position of the striker. Support 171 braces the striker against descending under the influence of friction from neighboring descending strikers to prevent chain reaction receptacle tiltings and explosions. When the striker is depressed by an oncoming projectile, brittle support "I easily breaks off and the striker can descend.

Striker 30 is, essentially, two strikers 28 back-to-back. All of the features of striker 28 may be found in striker 30. Striker 28 is used along the peripheral edge of a section of explosive armor, whereas striker 30 is used between adjacent explosive charge receptacles 10,

Turning to FIGS. and 6, the fins of the strikers 28 and 30 ride in guide keyways 52 between neighboring ones of the frameworks in the armor that receive explosive charge supports l8. As more clearly shown in FIG. 6, keyways 52 intersect at enlarged junctions which include folds 56, which are.

complementary to the folds $7 in each striker 26, in order to receive and position each striker 26. Near the two sides of the base of each striker 26 are projecting shelves 60, 62, which can engage the underside of the overhangs 64 within the explosive armor framework, thereby locking the strikers 26 in the keyways.

The engagement of the striker shelves 33, 35 with the top of their respective receptacle supports 18 limits downward movement of all the strikers into the armor under the influence of a projectile. Once contacted, receptacle support l8 descends with the striker. The explosive charge within the armor will normally be detonated before support lip 124 on support 18 contacts the top of the keyway housing.

The bodies of the strikers cooperate with the walls of the keyways and the receptacle supports to contain the blast of the explosion ofa charge.

Referring to FIG. 8, four strikers 26 may be formed in a single molding operation and joined by a simple breakaway "X" bridge 66. This unitary structure speeds assembly of the explosive armor. Bridge 66 is sufficiently weak that it will break loose from strikers 26 when any of them is contacted by an incoming projectile.

Keyways 52 also are provided with vent openings 68 (FIG. 5) to permit venting of the armor.

The peripheral keyway 67 around the outside of a section of armor has a wall shim 69 positioned within it, which maintains the space between the tops of the strikers and the protective panels 100, described below. This permits flexing of protectlvs panels 100.

As shown in F IG. 1, each explosive charge holding receptacle support 18 is provided with a tapered opening 70 extending through its base, through which opening the detonator 78 freely moves and communicates with the receptacle it). Opening 70 includes an enlarged section 72 which receives actuat ing rib of detonator 78 and which thereby forms a seat 74 for engaging actuator rib 80.

The position of rib 80 varies in the primary and alternate embodiments of the invention. in the primary one, the rib must be high enough so that as a receptacle is tilted and thereby depresses its support 18, the seat 74 is caused to engage rib 80. in the alternate one, the rib must be sufficiently low so that as a receptacle tilts and drives its support down, seat 74 cannot reach to contact rib 80; but must be sufficiently high that when shelves 33 or 35 on strikers 26, 28 or 30 contact support 18 and drive it down, the respective support can be driven down such that seat 74 presses onto rib 80 to cause detonation.

Detonator 78, illustrated in FIG. 5, comprises a thin tube filled with conventional explosive detonating material. The tube is encircled by actuating rib 80 which causes triggering of the detonator, as described below. Detonator 78 is securely encircled by a cufi' 82 of resilient material having a diameter such that it can be fixedly positioned against the interior wall of sleeve 84. This positions detonator 78 above and away from firing pin 86 at the base of sleeve 84. Sleeve 84 also serves as a shock absorber and insulator for detonator 78, thereby helping to prevent accidental detonation due to heat and shock.

it requires a high speed impact, which is likely to be provided only by a projectile, to cause detonator 78 to have sufficient impact on firing pin 86 to cause detonation. Lower speed impacts, if they apply more pressure than the firing pin is designed to withstand, will cause that pin to harmlessly break off without triggering detonation.

Also, when a main charge explodes, the surrounding strikers will necessarily be forced outward slightly, despite the containment forces on the striker provided by the keyways and the neighboring receptacle supports, as described further below. This outward force may swivel or jam downward the neighboring receptacles 10. However, by the time the neighboring receptacles or supports therefor move, the detonators will have been removed far enough away by the disarming means described below to prevent undesired detonations.

An alternate form of detonator is illustrated in FIG. 7. Explosive charge 90 is designed with a shaped charge head 92, which, when triggered, focuses the full thrust of its explosion at receptacle 10, thereby ensuring detonation of the main charge in the receptacle.

The entire section of armor has a rigid protective cover 94 extending over it which prevents inadvertent contact with the charge holding receptacles. The cover includes a plurality of domes 95, one over each charge receptacle 10, which protects each receptacle from being struck by debris from the explosion of the charge in a neighboring receptacle, thereby averting chain reaction explosions. Cover 94 is vented at vents 96 to permit free circulation of air in the armor.

Filtering cloth 98 extends across receptacles 10 to screen out dirt. This cloth may alternatively be a waterproof membrane which thereby renders the explosive armor waterproof. A similar filtering cloth 99 may be positioned beneath subfloor 136, described below, so that the armor interior is closed off as desired.

The upper, flexible, readily torn, filtering cloth 98 has a number of protective panels 100 affixed to it. These are positioned over strikers 28 and 30. A protective panel 100 is broken free from filtering cloth 98 if an incoming projectile should hit the panel, and the panel is driven down against the upper surface of a striker 28 and 30. To some extent, this distributes the force of a projectile over a larger surface area of the strikers; and it ensures that the forward end of an incoming projectile does not jam between two adjacent strikers, but instead properly drives them into the armor. The panels 100 may be provided with foam rubber pads 102 at the locations where they would first impact on the striker, thereby minimizing damage to the striker,

Operation of the explosive armor will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. After an incoming projectile 104 pierces protective cover 94 and tears filtering cloth )8, carrying down with it a protective panel 100, the projectile hits strikes around charge holding receptacles 10, An incoming projectile might depress any one or more than one of the strikers for an individual receptacle 10, In FIG. 2, projectile 104 hits two corner strikers 26 and one finned striker 30, causing same to depress into the armor. Turning to FIG. 3, since the engaged striker 30 is between shaped charge holding receptacles 108 and 110, curved portions 112 and 114 of the striker cause receptacles 108 and 110 to tilt toward the striker. Similarly, the depressed strikers 26 (shown in FIG, 2 and in FIG, 3) cause the receptacles 108 and 110 to tilt toward these strikers 26. Together, the depressed strikers 26 and 30 define the direction of receptacle tilt. Referring to FIG. 3 which shows this feature clearly, the far sides of receptacles 108 and 110 respectively engage striker curved portions 116 and 118, which guide the tilting of the receptaclesv As the receptacles tilt and as inward force is applied to them by in coming projectile 104, receptacles 108 and 110 are depressed into the armor and they, in turn, depress their respective receptacle supports I and 122.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the receptacle supports are caused to descend by the tilting of the receptacles, but this descent is insufficient to trigger detonation Detonation is triggered only by the descending strikers themselves. Here, the strikers 26, 28, descend so that their respective overhanging shelves 33, engage the receptacle supports directly and cause their descent. In this embodiment, the tilting of the receptacles only serves to reorient them so that their explosive force will be directed to expel a projectile.

In the first embodiment of the invention, as the receptacle supports are depressed by the tilting of the receptacles, and in the second embodiment of the invention, as the receptacle supports are depressed by the descending strikers, the ribs 80 of both detonators 78 are engaged by the seats 74 on the receptacle supports (FIG. 1), and the detonators 78 are driven down into engagement with their respective breakawa firing pins 86 which causes triggering and explosive actuation of the detonators.

Depressed supports 120 and 122 are now lower than their neighboring undepressed receptacle supports 18, and the higher supports increase the strength of the strikers for containing the force ofa charge blast.

Turning to FIG. 5, and considering it in conjunction with FIG. 3, receptacle supports 120 and 122 are depressed until the extending lip 124 of the receptacle support contacts the projecting shelf 126 on each striker 26. This defines the downward limit of movement of the receptacle supports 120 and 122 with respect to all strikers 26. The supports 120 and 122, the receptacle and the strikers 26 continue downward in unison until the supports strike the top of the guide keyway. This movement causes the charge holding receptacle to follow the detonator downward for a short distance to ensure close proximity between the detonator and the receptacle until the former has fully detonated.

Turning to FIG. 4, the shaped charges in the receptacles 108 and 110 now explode under the influence of the triggered detonators, Since the receptacles have tilted so that their shaped charges are aimed at projectile 104, the force of the explosion counteracts the incoming force ofthe projectile and causes the projectile to be expelled or deflected from the armor,

While this possibility is not specifically illustrated, should a projectile so strike the armor that is described above so as to miss the upper surfaces of the strikers and instead directly contact the cover 170 of a charge holding receptacle itself, the force of the projectile will depress the charge holding receptacle and the support beneath it, thereby triggering the detonator and thereafter causing the main shaped charge to explode, which would deflect the incoming projectile.

There also might be provided a means for disarming the explosive armor after individual shaped charges have been exploded. The explosive material in the main charge receptacles is insensitive to shock and vibration. The separation between adjacent shaped charges is sufficient to prevent explosion of one charge from causing the explosion of another. Therefore, explosion of one shaped charge can only be initiated by another high explosive exploding in the immediate vicinity of and in a manner that directly affects that one shaped charge. Because the explosive armor of the invention has been designed with each of the main, shaped explosive charges being separated from its neighbors, only by operation of its respective detonator can an individual shaped charge be caused to itself detonate. Therefore, to preclude unwanted explosions of main charges which are not required to repel a projectile, it is desirable to immediately remove the unactivated detonators from the vicinity of their shaped charges. This will ensure that should one of the detonators be inadvertently triggered by the shock and vibration of the projectile repulsion, the operation of that detonator will not detonate its respective shaped charge, thereby avoiding chain reaction explosions. Also, removing the detonators from the immediate vicinity of the main charge explosions will aid in preventing undesirable actuation of detonators not then required.

As shown in H6. 1, each of the detonator supporting sleeves 84 is rigidly connected to a rigid bridging support base 130. Base 130 has vent openings 132 passing therethrough for allowing venting of the armor. Each support base 130 rests on resilient support 134 which normally biases the detonators into their proper position, Resilient support 134, in turn, seats upon movable subfloor 136.

Moveable subfloor 136, which has its own vents 137, also serves as a recoil absorber for explosions of the main shaped charges. The detonator support walls 138, which are an integml part of keyway housing, and form the compartment under the detonator support bases 130, absorb the recoil forces which are then transmitted to subfloor 136.

Subfloor 136 is supported on resilient support 142 which biases subfloor 136 upward. Resilient support 142 sits on fixed permanent floor 144 ofthe armor, which floor also has its own vents 145.

Turning to FIG. 3, when detonators 78 are first triggered, the support bases 130 are driven toward their respective resilient supports 134. Turning to FIG. 4, after the full force of the operation of detonators 78 has been transmitted and after main shaped charges 108 and have exploded, the combined forces of the operation of the detonators causing compression of resilient supports 134, plus the recoil from explosion of the main charges, drives subfloor 136 downward and compresses resilient support 142. By this means, the remaining unactivated detonators ofa particular section of explosive armor are removed from the immediate vicinity of their main charges, whereby if these detonators were undesirably to be triggered, they would not cause their respective main charges to explode, thereby avoiding a chain reaction explosion.

The edges of the bridging support bases are provided with latching hooks 148 which, as shown in FIG, 4, pass through slots 150 in subfloor 136 after the main charge explosion. in this manner, the detonators are locked into the subfloor away from the main charges. To rearm the armor for further use, bridging support bases 130 are unlatched by conventional means so that the detonators can return to their ac tive positions.

The latching books 148 need not be provided, and the support bases 130 will then rebound back to their original positions after an explosive charge has exploded, The speed of downward travel and subsequent rebound of bases 130 is sufficiently slow that there is no likelihood that the detonators will return to their active positions before all main charge explosions are completed.

There has just been described effective explosive armor for repelling incoming projectiles and a disarming device for use in con unction with the explosive armor to prevent chain reaction explosions in the armor.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and, therefore, it is preferred that the inven tion be limited not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

l claim:

1. Explosive armor, including a plurality of receptacles, each holding a shaped explosive charge; each of said receptacles being held in a support at a normal orientation so that forces generated on explosion of each charge are directed for ward and generally normal to the front of the armor;

tilting means associated with each receptacle for automatically tilting each receptacle away from the orientation where its explosive forces are normal to the front of the armor when a projectile, approaching from the front of the armor at any angle of incidence that might allow the projectile to do harm to the wearer of the armor, engages that tilting means, and for directing each tilted receptacle to an orientation such that when the respective charge explodes, the explosion deflects said projectile;

detonating means for each receptacle, which is so positioned with respect to its receptacle as to cause said charge in said receptacle to detonate when it is tilted and including means responsive to the tilting to trigger detonationv 2. The explosive armor of claim I, wherein each said receptacle support is movable with respect to its said detonating means when the respective said tilting means for a said receptacle is operated to cause tilting of that said receptacle;

each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support.

3. The explosive armor of claim I, wherein said tilting means comprises a plurality of strikers surrounding the periphery of each said receptacle; each said striker being depressible into said armor and each including a surface for engaging said receptacle when each said striker is depressed;

whereby when an incoming projectile engages a striker, the

striker depresses the portion of its respective said receptacle with which it is in engagement, thereby tilting said receptacle toward the depressed said striker.

4. The explosive armor of claim 3, wherein each striker engaging surface is shaped complementary to its respective said receptacle and the said engaging surface on each said striker is adapted to engage and guide its respective said receptacle when a striker opposite that said striker around the periphery of said receptacle is depressed.

5. The explosive armor of claim 3, wherein each said receptacle is surrounded by eight strikers, each extending over substantially the same length portion of said receptacle periphery.

6. The explosive armor of claim 3, wherein each said receptacle has a substantially rounded surface for contacting its support and each said receptacle support is shaped complementary to its receptacle to facilitate tilting.

7. The explosive armor of claim 6, wherein each striker engaging surface is shaped complementary to its respective said receptacle and the said engaging surface on each said striker is adapted to engage and guide its respective said receptacle when a striker opposite that said striker around the periphery of said receptacle is depressed.

8. The explosive armor of claim 7, wherein each said receptacle support is movable with respect to its said detonating means when the respective said tilting means for a said receptacle is operated to cause tilting ofthat said receptacle;

each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving ofsaid receptacle support:

each said receptacle having an ovoid shape with its flatter exterior portion being opposite the explosion exit from said receptacle, whereby when said receptacle is tilted, its shaping causes it to projectile: force to move its respective said support to operate its respective said triggering device.

9. The explosive armor of claim 2, further including a disarming means to prevent detonation of other than the said charges whose receptacles are caused to be tilted by an incoming projectile;

said disarming means comprising,

a plurality of adjacent detonating means which are secured to a common supporting base, all this being separately movable as a unit, whereby all detonating means thereon are shifted as a unit;

each said detonating means communicating with the rear of its respective explosive charge holding receptacle, whereby the recoil forces and explosive gases arising from explosion ofthc explosive charge may be directed back to the triggered and operated detonator;

said detonator being held at an orientation so that upon operation thereof, the recoil forces of the operation thereof drive said detonator away from said explosive charge holding receptacle which said detonator has just detonated;

whereby the forces on said detonator due to the explosion of the explosive charge and due to the operation of said detonator cooperate to force said detonator away from its said charge receptacle, and with a plurality of adjacent said detonators on a common support, all are shifted away from their respective charge receptacles, thereby precluding detonation of charges that are near those that have been acted upon and caused to explode, and have not themselves been caused to explode by a projectile.

l0. Explosive armor, including a plurality of receptacles, each holding a shaped explosive charge; each of said receptacles being held in a support at a normal orientation so that forces generated on explosion of each charge are directed forward and generally normal to the front of the armor;

detonating means for each receptacle, each said detonating means being positioned with respect to its receptacle so that said detonating means causes said charge to detonate when said receptacle is moved with respect to said detonating means; said receptacle being movable with respect to said detonating means under the influence ofa projectile; means connecting said receptacle and said detonating means as to trigger the detonation.

11. The explosive armor of claim 10, wherein each said receptacle support is movable with respect to its said detonating means when the respective said receptacle is caused to be moved by a projectile;

each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support.

12. The explosive armor of claim 10, further including a disarming means to prevent detonation of other than the said charges whose receptacles are moved by an incoming projec tile:

said disarming means comprising;

a plurality of adjacent detonating means which are secured to a common supporting base, all this being separately movable as a unit, whereby all detonating means thereon are shifted as a unit;

each said detonating means communicating with the rear of its respective explosive charge holding receptacle, whereby the recoil forces and explosive gases arising from explosion of the explosive charge may be directed back to the triggered and operated detonator;

said detonator being held at an orientation so that upon operation thereof, the recoil forces of the operation thereof drive said detonator away from said explosive charge holding receptacle which said detonator has just detonated;

whereby the forces on said detonator due to the explosion of the explosive charge and due to the operation of said detonator cooperate to force said detonator away from its said charge receptacle, and with a plurality of adjacent said detonators on a common support. all are shifted away from their respective charge receptacles, thereby precluding detonation of charges that are near those that have been acted upon and caused to explode, and have not themselves been caused to explode by a projectile l3. Explosive armor. including a plurality of receptacles. each holding a shaped explosive charge; each of said receptacles being held in a support at a normal orientation so that forces generated on explosion of each charge are directed forward and generally normal to the front of the armor;

a plurality of strikers surround the periphery of each said receptacle; each said striker being depressible into said armor;

detonating means for each receptacle which is so positioned with respect to its receptacle as to cause said charge in its receptacle to detonate;

means responsive to the depression of a said striker to activate said detonating means for the associated charge receptacle to trigger detonation.

14. The explosive armor of claim l3, wherein each said receptacle support is positioned to be engaged by the said strikers for the corresponding said receptacle when the strikers are depressed and is movable with respect to its said detonating means when a said striker for the corresponding said receptacle is depressed into engagement with said receptacle support;

each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support.

The explosive armor of claim 13, wherein when a said striker for a said receptacle is depressed, it automatically tilts its receptacle away from the orientation where its explosive forces are normal to the front of the armor when a projectlie,

approaching from the front of the armor at any angle of incidence that might allow the projectile to do harm to the wearer of the armor, engages that striker and for directing each tilted receptacle to an orientation such that when the respective charge explodes, the explosion deflects said projectile.

16. The explosive armor of claim 13, wherein each striker engaging surface is shaped complementary to its respective said receptacle and the said engaging surface on each said striker is adapted to engage and guide its respective said receptacle when a striker opposite that said striker around the periphery ofsaid receptacle is depressed 17, The explosive armor of claim 13, further including a disarming means to prevent detonation of other than the said charges whose strikers are depressed by an incoming projectile:

said disarming means comprising;

a plurality of adjacent detonating means which are secured to a common supporting base, all this being separately movable as a unit. whereby all detonating means thereon are shifted as a unit;

each said detonating means communicating with the rear of its respective explosive charge holding receptacle. whereby the recoil forces and explosive gases arising from explosion of the explosive charge may be directed back to the triggered and operated detonator;

said detonator being held at an orientation so that upon operation thereof, the recoil forces of the operation thereof drive said detonator away from said explosive charge holding receptacle which said detonator has just detonated; whereby the forces on said detonator due to the explosion of the explosive charge and due to the operation of said detonator cooperate to force said detonator away from its said charge receptacle, and with a plurality of adjacent said detonators on a common support, all are shifted away from their respective charge receptacles, thereby precluding detonation of charges that are near those that have been acted upon and caused to explode, and have not themselves been caused to explode by a projectile. 

1. Explosive armor, including a plurality of receptacles, each holding a shaped explosive charge; each of said receptacles being held in a support at a normal orientation so that forces generated on explosion of each charge are directed forward and generally normal to the front of the armor; tilting means associated with each receptacle for automatically tilting each receptacle away from the orientation where its explosive forces are normal to the front of the armor when a projectile, approaching from the front of the armor at any angle of incidence that might allow the projectile to do harm to the wearer of the armor, engages that tilting means, and for directing each tilted receptacle to an orientation such that when the respective charge explodes, the explosion deflects said projectile; detonating means for each receptacle, which is so positioned with respect to its receptacle as to cause said charge in said receptacle to detonate when it is tilted and including means responsive to the tilting to trigger detonation.
 2. The explosive armor of claim 1, wherein each said recepTacle support is movable with respect to its said detonating means when the respective said tilting means for a said receptacle is operated to cause tilting of that said receptacle; each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support.
 3. The explosive armor of claim 1, wherein said tilting means comprises a plurality of strikers surrounding the periphery of each said receptacle; each said striker being depressible into said armor and each including a surface for engaging said receptacle when each said striker is depressed; whereby when an incoming projectile engages a striker, the striker depresses the portion of its respective said receptacle with which it is in engagement, thereby tilting said receptacle toward the depressed said striker.
 4. The explosive armor of claim 3, wherein each striker engaging surface is shaped complementary to its respective said receptacle and the said engaging surface on each said striker is adapted to engage and guide its respective said receptacle when a striker opposite that said striker around the periphery of said receptacle is depressed.
 5. The explosive armor of claim 3, wherein each said receptacle is surrounded by eight strikers, each extending over substantially the same length portion of said receptacle periphery.
 6. The explosive armor of claim 3, wherein each said receptacle has a substantially rounded surface for contacting its support and each said receptacle support is shaped complementary to its receptacle to facilitate tilting.
 7. The explosive armor of claim 6, wherein each striker engaging surface is shaped complementary to its respective said receptacle and the said engaging surface on each said striker is adapted to engage and guide its respective said receptacle when a striker opposite that said striker around the periphery of said receptacle is depressed.
 8. The explosive armor of claim 7, wherein each said receptacle support is movable with respect to its said detonating means when the respective said tilting means for a said receptacle is operated to cause tilting of that said receptacle; each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support; each said receptacle having an ovoid shape with its flatter exterior portion being opposite the explosion exit from said receptacle, whereby when said receptacle is tilted, its shaping causes it to projectile: force to move its respective said support to operate its respective said triggering device.
 9. The explosive armor of claim 1, further including a disarming means to prevent detonation of other than the said charges whose receptacles are caused to be tilted by an incoming projectile; said disarming means comprising; a plurality of adjacent detonating means which are secured to a common supporting base, all this being separately movable as a unit, whereby all detonating means thereon are shifted as a unit; each said detonating means communicating with the rear of its respective explosive charge holding receptacle, whereby the recoil forces and explosive gases arising from explosion of the explosive charge may be directed back to the triggered and operated detonator; said detonator being held at an orientation so that upon operation thereof, the recoil forces of the operation thereof drive said detonator away from said explosive charge holding receptacle which said detonator has just detonated; whereby the forces on said detonator due to the explosion of the explosive charge and due to the operation of said detonator cooperate to force said detonator away from its said charge receptacle, and with a pluraLity of adjacent said detonators on a common support, all are shifted away from their respective charge receptacles, thereby precluding detonation of charges that are near those that have been acted upon and caused to explode, and have not themselves been caused to explode by a projectile.
 10. Explosive armor, including a plurality of receptacles, each holding a shaped explosive charge; each of said receptacles being held in a support at a normal orientation so that forces generated on explosion of each charge are directed forward and generally normal to the front of the armor; detonating means for each receptacle, each said detonating means being positioned with respect to its receptacle so that said detonating means causes said charge to detonate when said receptacle is moved with respect to said detonating means; said receptacle being movable with respect to said detonating means under the influence of a projectile; means connecting said receptacle and said detonating means as to trigger the detonation.
 11. The explosive armor of claim 10, wherein each said receptacle support is movable with respect to its said detonating means when the respective said receptacle is caused to be moved by a projectile; each said detonating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support.
 12. The explosive armor of claim 10, further including a disarming means to prevent detonation of other than the said charges whose receptacles are moved by an incoming projectile: said disarming means comprising; a plurality of adjacent detonating means which are secured to a common supporting base, all this being separately movable as a unit, whereby all detonating means thereon are shifted as a unit; each said detonating means communicating with the rear of its respective explosive charge holding receptacle, whereby the recoil forces and explosive gases arising from explosion of the explosive charge may be directed back to the triggered and operated detonator; said detonator being held at an orientation so that upon operation thereof, the recoil forces of the operation thereof drive said detonator away from said explosive charge holding receptacle which said detonator has just detonated; whereby the forces on said detonator due to the explosion of the explosive charge and due to the operation of said detonator cooperate to force said detonator away from its said charge receptacle, and with a plurality of adjacent said detonators on a common support, all are shifted away from their respective charge receptacles, thereby precluding detonation of charges that are near those that have been acted upon and caused to explode, and have not themselves been caused to explode by a projectile.
 13. Explosive armor, including a plurality of receptacles, each holding a shaped explosive charge; each of said receptacles being held in a support at a normal orientation so that forces generated on explosion of each charge are directed forward and generally normal to the front of the armor; a plurality of strikers surround the periphery of each said receptacle; each said striker being depressible into said armor; detonating means for each receptacle which is so positioned with respect to its receptacle as to cause said charge in its receptacle to detonate; means responsive to the depression of a said striker to activate said detonating means for the associated charge receptacle to trigger detonation.
 14. The explosive armor of claim 13, wherein each said receptacle support is positioned to be engaged by the said strikers for the corresponding said receptacle when the strikers are depressed and is movable with respect to its said detonating means when a said striker for the corresponding said receptacle is depressed into engagement with said receptacle support; each said detOnating means including a triggering device for causing operation of said detonating means; said triggering device being so connected with said receptacle support as to be caused to operate upon the aforementioned moving of said receptacle support.
 15. The explosive armor of claim 13, wherein when a said striker for a said receptacle is depressed, it automatically tilts its receptacle away from the orientation where its explosive forces are normal to the front of the armor when a projectile, approaching from the front of the armor at any angle of incidence that might allow the projectile to do harm to the wearer of the armor, engages that striker, and for directing each tilted receptacle to an orientation such that when the respective charge explodes, the explosion deflects said projectile.
 16. The explosive armor of claim 13, wherein each striker engaging surface is shaped complementary to its respective said receptacle and the said engaging surface on each said striker is adapted to engage and guide its respective said receptacle when a striker opposite that said striker around the periphery of said receptacle is depressed.
 17. The explosive armor of claim 13, further including a disarming means to prevent detonation of other than the said charges whose strikers are depressed by an incoming projectile: said disarming means comprising; a plurality of adjacent detonating means which are secured to a common supporting base, all this being separately movable as a unit, whereby all detonating means thereon are shifted as a unit; each said detonating means communicating with the rear of its respective explosive charge holding receptacle, whereby the recoil forces and explosive gases arising from explosion of the explosive charge may be directed back to the triggered and operated detonator; said detonator being held at an orientation so that upon operation thereof, the recoil forces of the operation thereof drive said detonator away from said explosive charge holding receptacle which said detonator has just detonated; whereby the forces on said detonator due to the explosion of the explosive charge and due to the operation of said detonator cooperate to force said detonator away from its said charge receptacle, and with a plurality of adjacent said detonators on a common support, all are shifted away from their respective charge receptacles, thereby precluding detonation of charges that are near those that have been acted upon and caused to explode, and have not themselves been caused to explode by a projectile. 